Contiki Holidays top ten destination hotlist 2013

London, January 2013 – If you are looking for inspiration or insider knowledge on where the hottest destinations for 2013 are then look no further! Contiki Holidays, the leading group travel company for 18 – 35’s has compiled a list of reasons to travel to ten amazing destinations worldwide.

London, January 2013 (PRWEB UK) 16 January 2013

If you are looking for inspiration or insider knowledge on where the hottest destinations for 2013 are then look no further! Contiki Holidays, the leading group travel company for 18 – 35’s has compiled a list of reasons to travel to ten amazing destinations worldwide. Here is Contiki’s top ten destination hotlist for 2013.

1. Coachella Music Festival, Palm Springs – Sold Out, but not if booked with Contiki

In April 2013, Contiki will be hitting the hot desert of Palm Springs for the first time, taking festival lovers to the famous and most stylish festival going, Coachella! The Coachella Music and Arts Festival is currently sold out, but fret not, those still looking to attend can still book through Contiki.

Coachella runs across two weekends on 10th April and 17th April. Coachella with Contiki costs from £1159 per person, land only. Visit http://www.contiki.com/coachella.

2. New Zealand – Film tourism boom, visit The Hobbiton Movie Set with Contiki

Film tourism to New Zealand has seen a real boom over the last few years and Tourism New Zealand says 47,000 international visitors have visited a film location in New Zealand each year since 2004. 2013 will be no different and film fans can visit The Hobbiton Movie Set and farm tour in Matamata and a Lord of the Rings tour in Wellington or Queenstown, all available on Contiki’s Big Tiki adventure.

Contiki’s 19 day The Big Tiki costs from £1,487 per person, land only, and visits both New Zealand’s North and South islands.

3. Thailand – Emirates launch new airline route to Phuket – just the place to start Island Hopping

Emirates have just recently launched a new daily route to Phuket from Dubai, making it an easy connect for those flying from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Glasgow international airports. Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and the starting point of Contiki’s Thai Island Hopper West. Enjoy the buzz of Phuket before travelling onto the paradise island of Koh Phi Phi with its white sand beaches and Krabi and its amazing scenery and clear blue waters.

Contiki’s 9 day Thai Island Hopper West costs from £463 per person, land only and takes in Phuket, Koh Phi Phi and Krabi.

4. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Get there ahead of the World Cup and Olympics crowds

Rio de Janeiro will be hosting both the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016 making it set to become one of the busiest destinations for years to come. Get there in 2013 ahead of all the crowds and partake in what truly makes this city famous, the Rio Carnival. Contiki will show visitors the white sand beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, the iconic Christ the Redeemer on Sugarloaf Mountain and of course the endless parties and parades of Carnival.

Contiki’s 6 day Rio Carnival is from 10th February and costs from £1,685 per person land only.

5. The Galapagos Islands – Be inspired by David Attenborough’s ‘Galapagos 3D’

David Attenborough has always been an inspiration to get out and discover the World’s more exotic destinations and his amazing ‘Galapagos 3D’ is no exception. Get under the skin of the Galapagos Islands with Contiki’s Galapagos & Ecuador, scale volcanoes, visit a giant tortoise breeding centre, enjoy a panga boat ride to spot the famous Galapagos penguin, visit the Charles Darwin research centre, snorkel with sea lions and rays or just chill with the Giant Galapagos Tortoise on the beach.

Contiki travel to the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador throughout the year. Contiki’s 11 day Galapagos & Ecuador costs from £1,680 per person, land only.

6. Egypt – Visit Tutankhamun before it is replaced with a replica in 2014

Tutankhamun, the most famous of the Egyptian Kings, has been on show to tourists at his tomb in the Valley of the Kings for some years now. Egyptologists fear this may have contributed to its increased decomposition and as of 2014 his mummy will be replaced with a replica. See the real thing this 2013 with Contiki’s Egypt & the Nile which includes a guided tour through the Valley of the Kings, as well as guided tours of the Egyptian museum and the Pyramids of Giza.

2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the closing of the infamous Alcatraz prison. San Francisco has many iconic sites from the stunning Golden Gate bridge, its colourful cable cars and quaint Fisherman’s Wharf, see them all with Contiki’s LA to the Bay. Visitors will not only see San Fran but also travel through Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Grand Canyon National Park, Las Vegas, Yosemite National Park before arriving at San Francisco. What a trip!

Contiki’s 11 day LA to the Bay starts from April 2013 and costs from £1,000 per person, land only.

8. Vietnam – 40th anniversary of the Vietnam War

This 2013 will mark the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Get under the skin of the country’s incredible culture and complex history with Contiki’s Vietnam Experience. In Ho Chi Minh City see what remains of French colonial rule with visits to the Notre Dame Cathedral and the city’s other iconic sites. Learn of the legacy of the Vietnam War with a visit to the War Remnants Museum and experience the underground Chi Chi tunnels built by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Also, travel up to the pristine beaches of Nha Trang, visit the pretty town of Hoi An, then on to Hue, the former imperial city. From Hue it’s a short flight to Hanoi the capital and then on to Halong Bay for an overnight cruise in a traditional junk boat.

Contiki’s 12 day Vietnam Experience costs from £787 per person including three internal flights.

9. Brazil & Argentina – Iguassu Falls was recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature

On the boarder of both Argentina and Brazil, Iguassu Falls is one the World’s most awe-inspiring waterfalls and was recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature*. On Contiki’s Brazil & Argentina Experience see the falls from the Argentinian side, by taking a speed boat ride to the falls or take a Zodiac boat ride to San Martin Island for a swim down from the falls. The trip starts in Rio, then travel on to Buzios where one can scuba dive, to Iguassu Falls and then to Buenos Aires for the remaining three days.

10. Australia – still strong draw for students, stats for Gap Year travel

Statistics released by Tourism Australia* shows that the number of working holiday visa applications from the UK in 2012 was up by 20 per cent from the previous year. With the current strength of the Aussie dollar this trend is predicted to continue in 2013 within the UK student community. For those thinking of heading Down Under, Contiki’s numerous itineraries are a great way to not only get to know the vast country but also to meet up with likeminded young people. For a snapshot of the East Coast check out Contiki’s Beaches and Reefs with Sailing. Starting in Sydney visit Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, Surfers Paradise, Noosa, Fraser Island and the Whitsundays. Travel up the coast exploring beach after beach and pristine waters, while learning to sail and surf as you go. Hike in the Blue Mountains, sail the Whitsundays and explore Fraser Island on a four wheel drive tour.

Contiki Holidays has inspired students and young professionals, 18 - 35 year olds to travel to the world’s most fantastic destinations for 50 years. The trips are hassle-free and include the perfect mix of sightseeing, culture and free time. Choose from over 190 itineraries throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Mexico, Canada, USA, Europe, Russia & Egypt. For more information, visit contiki.com [contiki.com __title__ contiki.com]